Blockbuster brings back its policy of fees for late videos. [Wallet Pop]

Bloomingdale's is the latest to get on the 'Alice in Wonderland' bandwagon. [Racked NY]

Wordpress increases the speed of posts uploading onto feed readers. [TechCrunch]

With its stock value rising, RadioShack may soon be scooped up. [Reuters]

Belting out empowering words has always been Mary J. Blige’s forte, and this time her latest ballad is being co-branded with a line of T-shirts fashioned by her long time friend, Catherine Malandrino.

Together the powerhouses are launching their first T-shirt collection, which brings together Blige’s foundation called FFAWN (Foundation for the Achievement of Women Now), and features inspirational messages hand-painted across the tunics that, for example, proclaim, “I’m Power,” “I’m Free,” “I’m Love,” and “I’m Life.”Continue reading...

Neiman Marcus hit the skids hard due to the recession. November 2009 store sales were down 12.7 percent over the previous year. The company cut jobs, trimmed inventories, and experienced heavy losses -- but the brand has yet to stray from its original mantra.

“We have no intention of changing our business model or trading down,” chief executive Burt Tansky told Wall Street analysts on a conference call last month. “It’s important to reiterate that we will continue to offer our customers the luxury and designer merchandise that they want to buy and, in fact, some of our best-selling merchandise is at the upper end of our price ranges.”Continue reading...

In the famous windows of Bloomingdale’s Lexington Avenue flagship store, a new, recession-appropriate theme is on display: "Staying in, is the new going out."

The Big Window Challenge brings together Bloomingdale’s, Elle Décor, and Apartment Therapy. Each brand sponsors a window display that showcases a room featuring its own signature look, personality, and lifestyle.

Eddie Ross, for Elle Décor, presented "The Modern Woman" with a room that brings together vintage and modern colors, patterns, and details. The aura of happiness, confidence, and adventure sits among hot pink candlesticks, an orange art deco painting, and twin turquoise blue lamps. However festive the room appears, it is best not to make a quick move around the bookcase full of fine china.Continue reading...

Saks Fifth Avenue just gave "about 116" -- an interesting estimate -- employees in its Fifth Avenue beauty department the boot.

The New York Post reported that the department store cleansing was not a result of the recession. Rather, some speculate it may be part of a larger plan to avoid legal conflict since the retail union filed a petition to organize the department a mere two weeks ago.

“The timing is very suspicious,” said Gemma de Leon, executive vice president of Local 1102 of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union. “If they’re doing this to avoid having their employees unionize, it’s against the law.”

Saks is assuring that the layoffs were unrelated to the union's petition, claiming it's simply part of an industry-wide shift in staffing policy.Continue reading...